Pleasures of this Life

After extolling the benefits of hiking, imagine my disappointment when I discovered a tick on me Tuesday morning. Not only was there a tick, but the red bulls eye and extreme itchiness were also evident. I called the doctor and he wanted to see me. The nurse practitioner and a doctor worked quite a while to get every last piece of that nasty little tick out from under my skin. They kept apologizing if they were hurting me, but honestly it felt good for them to be digging around in there - it was a kind of scratch for a terrible itch. So I am currently on a 10 day regimen of antibiotics which will, hopefully, curb any Lyme's disease that might have been transmitted by that tick.

So is this the end of our hiking? Well, in thinking back on why we might have picked up this tick, several things occurred to me. One, I had been spraying bug repellent on our jeans and sneakers before our hikes this spring. But on Sunday, I forgot to bring it with us. Oh well, I thought, and off we went. Two, although the trail we hiked was wide and easy, there was foliage and grass that we brushed against. Both were just invitations for that tick to find me and take advantage of the situation. 

Why, oh why, do bugs love me? It's so upsetting...don't they know I hate them? Pretty ironic!

We were too busy the rest of the week to do any more hiking. On Monday, Memorial Day, we drove up to Christy's and picked up Naomi to bring her back to our house. She didn't have her birthday yet, but finding a good date between their family's activities and our schedule is a challenge sometimes. We did the usual fun things with her: make her favorite dinner, watch a movie, eat ice cream, play games and more games.


On Tuesday morning, we made 2 strawberry pies to take back with us for dessert with the family.

These pictures were taken before the whipped cream was added. Believe me, this is a delicious pie! (Thanks to LDH for the recipe!)

All these lovely blessings we enjoy are sign posts along the way that point to a greater glory - the glory of God. Paul Tripp reminds us in New Morning Mercies that "life really is all about what glory attracts your eyes and captures your heart."




The things we enjoy in this life are not the things that we were made to live for. They are sign posts to point to God and God alone. We enjoy nature because it reminds us of God and his beautiful, creative work. We enjoy the relationships of family members because it reminds us that God is in relationship with himself in the Trinity, as well as with us. How incredible is his love for us.

Another thing I really enjoy is our bird feeder, placed strategically so I can watch the action from my kitchen sink while I'm preparing meals. Yesterday, I was struck by how beautiful the cardinal is. The next time I looked out the window, I was captured by the antics of a different, but cute little creature.

Andy and I finished another puzzle this week. It was quite a challenge but we did it with much patience and perseverance! Just look at all the blue and stars. But we could do it if we stuck to it. Success at last. These are all Van Gogh paintings.

Ricky and Amy came down today with their kiddos. They joined us at church then came to the house for lunch. I had another strawberry pie for dessert that was a big hit. They visited for a couple of hours before heading back home. I did not take any pictures while they were here.:(
 
What a gift that even when we face hard times, God gives us experiences and blessings to enjoy. What a good God he is. 

I was struggling earlier this week with sadness. Pictures of our family were scrolling on my computer and every time I saw pictures of Andy and me, or Andy with the kids, I couldn't keep my eyes from tearing up. Things are not as they were...I am experiencing loss. And honestly, that loss is hard to deal with. But God met me in my struggle. He provided a friend who listened and sympathized with me. He graciously comforted me with his word and his presence. My friend shared a verse with me that is just chock full of goodness and comfort:

2 Thessalonians 2:16 & 17:  "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."

I also was reminded of C.S. Lewis in one of his writings who says that if we find pleasure in this life, it is a sign that we were made for a better life (or something to that effect!). God has given us the capacity to enjoy and find pleasure. This life is only a small teaser of the pleasures we will enjoy in eternity with God himself.